prescott



UNITED sTA-TEs PATENT oEEIcE.

JOSEPH W. PRESCOTT, OF CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE, ASSIGNOR TO A. PRESGOTT AND A. J. PRESCOTT.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

Specicaton of Letters Patent No. 6,356, dated April 17, 13849.

To all 'whom 25 may concern.'

Be it known that I, JOSEPH W. PREscoTT, of Concord, in the county of Merrimack and State of New Hampshire, have invented a newand useful Improvement in the Reed Musical Instrument, usually termed a Uelodeom and I do hereby declare that the same is fully described and represented in the following specification and accompanying drawings, let-ters, figures, and references thereof.

Of the said drawings Figure l, denotes a side view of my improved melodeon. Fig. 2 is a transverse section of it. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical andcentral section of it.

In my improvement I cause the air from the bellows to pass into a diffusion chamber or space situated over the reed or reeds and so as to inclose orcontain it or them, and thence to pass by the reed and through the reed opening and toward the valve, and when the valve is opened to pass between the valve and its seat, and thence into a modulating disseminating chamber and finally into the swell chamber.

I have discovered that my invention effects a very perceptible improvement in the tone of the instrument.

In the drawings A denotes the bellows of the instrument made the usual way, viz, in two apartments a,

B is a wind diffusion chamber extending above and over and made to inclose one or more reeds C.

D is the reed plate or holder, fixed in or to the bottom of the chamber B, and having a rectangular opening E, made through it directly under the reed, and of such size as to allow of the proper vibrations of the reed, and the passage of the air which vibrates the reed, toward the valve F, which is arranged under or so as to cover said opening and plays on a hinge at G, all as seen in Fig. 2.

H is the spring of the valve which in this instance is fastened to the valve at one end and rests at its other on a shelf or projection I disposed under the front end of the valve F, as seen in Fig. 2.

K is a chamber or passage made under the valve and all the valves of the reeds and so as to contain it and them, the said chamber being made to contsitute a second sound diffusion disseminating or modulating chamber. In this case the swell board M is represented as placed over a chamber L, made to communicate with the chamber K,

by one or more openings or passages N.

O is the valve stem or rod which extends down from the key P, and rests upon the front end of the valve as seen in the drawing, the key F, being arranged and supported upon a fulcrum Q, as seen in Fig. 2.

R, R, S are passages for conveying the air from the bellows to the reed chamber B, the two former (viz R, R,) being respectively made through the division boards T, U, of the instrument, while the latten is made through the vertical partition V, which separates the chamber B from the space l/V.

The manner or course in which the air passes from the bellows to and by the reed, and into the little swell chamber L is approximately denoted, in Fig. 2, by arrows.

It will be seen by inspection of Fig. 2, that it (the air) is diffused over and directly upon the reeds, and flows freely toward and upon it or them in an uninter` rupted body, and not in converging disturbed streams.

My improvement and `what I claim consists in- .The modulating disseminating` chamber which incloses the valves, in combination with the swell chamber and reeds, all as specified, the said modulating chamber serving to properly disseminate the sound before it is allowed to enter the swell chamber.

In testimony whereof I have hereto setl my signature this twenty sixth day of Ocober A. D. 1848.

JOSEPH W. PRESCOTT.

I/Vitnesses:

R. H. EDDY, JOHN A. LERow. 

